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06 Nov 2019, 03:45
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Question 1
E
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
55%
(hard)
Question Stats:
59% (03:21) correct
41%
(03:27) wrong
based on 327
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Question 2
E
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
65%
(hard)
Question Stats:
49% (01:36) correct 51%
(01:38) wrong
based on 380
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Question 3
A
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
55%
(hard)
Question Stats:
49% (01:13) correct 51%
(01:10) wrong
based on 361
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Question 4
D
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
65%
(hard)
Question Stats:
44% (01:01) correct 56%
(00:41) wrong
based on 322
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
This passage is adapted from material published in 2001.
Frederick Douglass was unquestionably the most famous African American of the nineteenth century; indeed, when he died in 1895 he was among the most distinguished public figures in the United States. In his study of Douglass’ career as a major figure in the movement to abolish slavery and as a spokesman for Black rights, Waldo Martin has provoked controversy by contending that Douglass also deserves a prominent place in the intellectual history of the United States because he exemplified so many strands of nineteenth-century thought: romanticism, idealism, individualism, liberal humanism, and an unshakable belief in progress. But this very argument provides ammunition for those who claim that most of Douglass’ ideas, being so representative of their time, are now obsolete. Douglass’ vision of the future as a melting pot in which all racial and ethnic differences would dissolve into “a composite American nationality” appears from the pluralist perspective of many present-day intellectuals to be not only utopian but even wrongheaded. Yet there is a central aspect of Douglass’ thought that seems not in the least bit dated or irrelevant to current concerns. He has no rival in the history of the nineteenth century United States as an insistent and effective critic of the doctrine of innate racial inequality. He not only attacked racist ideas in his speeches and writings, but he offered his entire career and all his achievements as living proof that racists were wrong in their belief that one race could be inherently superior to another.
While Martin stresses Douglass’ antiracist egalitarianism, he does not adequately explain how this aspect of Douglass’ thought fits in with his espousal of the liberal Vic-torian attitudes that many present-day intellectuals consider to be naïve and outdated. The fact is that Douglass was attracted to these democratic-capitalist ideals of his time because they could be used to attack slavery and the doctrine of White supremacy. His favorite rhetorical strategy was to expose the hypocrisy of those who, while professing adherence to the ideals of democracy and equality of opportunity, condoned slavery and racial discrimination. It would have been strange indeed if he had not embraced liberal idealism, because it proved its worth for the cause of racial equality during the national crisis that eventually resulted in emancipation and citizenship for African Americans. These points may seem obvious, but had Martin given them more attention, his analysis might have constituted a more convincing rebuttal to those critics who dismiss Douglass’ ideology as a relic of the past. If one accepts the proposition that Douglass’ deepest commitment was to Black equality and that he used the liberal ideals of his time as weapons in the fight for that cause, then it is hard to fault him for seizing the best weapons at hand.
Frederick Douglass was unquestionably the most famous African American of the nineteenth century; indeed, when he died in 1895 he was among the most distinguished public figures in the United States. In his study of Douglass’ career as a major figure in the movement to abolish slavery and as a spokesman for Black rights, Waldo Martin has provoked controversy by contending that Douglass also deserves a prominent place in the intellectual history of the United States because he exemplified so many strands of nineteenth-century thought: romanticism, idealism, individualism, liberal humanism, and an unshakable belief in progress. But this very argument provides ammunition for those who claim that most of Douglass’ ideas, being so representative of their time, are now obsolete. Douglass’ vision of the future as a melting pot in which all racial and ethnic differences would dissolve into “a composite American nationality” appears from the pluralist perspective of many present-day intellectuals to be not only utopian but even wrongheaded. Yet there is a central aspect of Douglass’ thought that seems not in the least bit dated or irrelevant to current concerns. He has no rival in the history of the nineteenth century United States as an insistent and effective critic of the doctrine of innate racial inequality. He not only attacked racist ideas in his speeches and writings, but he offered his entire career and all his achievements as living proof that racists were wrong in their belief that one race could be inherently superior to another.
While Martin stresses Douglass’ antiracist egalitarianism, he does not adequately explain how this aspect of Douglass’ thought fits in with his espousal of the liberal Vic-torian attitudes that many present-day intellectuals consider to be naïve and outdated. The fact is that Douglass was attracted to these democratic-capitalist ideals of his time because they could be used to attack slavery and the doctrine of White supremacy. His favorite rhetorical strategy was to expose the hypocrisy of those who, while professing adherence to the ideals of democracy and equality of opportunity, condoned slavery and racial discrimination. It would have been strange indeed if he had not embraced liberal idealism, because it proved its worth for the cause of racial equality during the national crisis that eventually resulted in emancipation and citizenship for African Americans. These points may seem obvious, but had Martin given them more attention, his analysis might have constituted a more convincing rebuttal to those critics who dismiss Douglass’ ideology as a relic of the past. If one accepts the proposition that Douglass’ deepest commitment was to Black equality and that he used the liberal ideals of his time as weapons in the fight for that cause, then it is hard to fault him for seizing the best weapons at hand.
E
A) Explaining Douglass’ emergence as a major figure in the movement to abolish slavery
B) Tracing the origins of Douglass’ thought in nineteenth-century romanticism, idealism, and liberal humanism
C) Analyzing Douglass’ speeches and writings from a modern, pluralist perspective
D) Criticizing Martin for failing to stress the contradiction between Douglass’ principles and the liberal Victorian attitudes of his day
E) Formulating a response to those who consider Douglass’ political philosophy to be archaic and irrelevant
E
A) although Douglass used democratic-capitalist ideas to attack slavery and racial inequality, he did not sincerely believe in those ideas
B) the view that Douglass was representative of the intellectual trends of his time is obsolete
C) Douglass’ opposition to the doctrine of innate racial inequality is irrelevant to current concerns
D) Douglass’ commitment to Black equality does not adequately account for his naïve attachment to quaint liberal Victorian political views
E) Douglass’ goal of ultimately doing away with all racial and ethnic differences is neither achievable nor desirable
A
A) His own life story
B) His vision of a composite American nationality
C) The hypocrisy of self-professed liberal idealists
D ) The inevitability of the emancipation of African Americans
E) The fact that most prominent intellectuals advocated the abolition of slavery
D
A) idealism
B) egalitarianism
C) capitalism
D) pluralism
E) humanism
21 Dec 2019, 02:04
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Official Explanation
2. It can be inferred that the “present-day intellectuals” (Text in blue) believe that
Difficulty Level: 700
“Present-day intellectuals” are mentioned on line 16; the claim there is that these intellectuals consider Douglass’ vision of America as “a melting pot in which all racial and ethnic differences would dissolve” (lines 14–15) as “utopian” and “wrongheaded” (line 17).
This points to Choice E as correct.
Difficulty Level: 700
“Present-day intellectuals” are mentioned on line 16; the claim there is that these intellectuals consider Douglass’ vision of America as “a melting pot in which all racial and ethnic differences would dissolve” (lines 14–15) as “utopian” and “wrongheaded” (line 17).
This points to Choice E as correct.
05 Feb 2020, 07:37
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Official Explanation
1. The passage as a whole can best be described as doing which of the following?
Difficulty Level: 700
Explanation
The passage discusses the views and intellectual legacy of Frederick Douglass. The key claim in the first paragraph is that while some of Douglass’ views are no longer widely accepted, “there is a central aspect of Douglass’ thought that seems not the least bit dated or irrelevant to our current concerns”. The second paragraph critiques a study of Douglass’ career by Waldo Martin and claims that Martin has failed to offer a “convincing rebuttal to those critics who dismiss Douglass’ ideology as a relic of the past”. This indicates that Choice E is correct.
Answer: E
Difficulty Level: 700
Explanation
The passage discusses the views and intellectual legacy of Frederick Douglass. The key claim in the first paragraph is that while some of Douglass’ views are no longer widely accepted, “there is a central aspect of Douglass’ thought that seems not the least bit dated or irrelevant to our current concerns”. The second paragraph critiques a study of Douglass’ career by Waldo Martin and claims that Martin has failed to offer a “convincing rebuttal to those critics who dismiss Douglass’ ideology as a relic of the past”. This indicates that Choice E is correct.
Answer: E
3. According to the passage, Douglass used which of the following as evidence against the doctrine of innate racial inequality?
Difficulty Level: 700
Explanation
One of the claims in the passage is that Frederick Douglass “offered his entire career and all his achievements as living proof that racists were wrong in their belief that one race could be inherently superior to another”. Thus Choice A is correct.
Answer: A
Difficulty Level: 700
Explanation
One of the claims in the passage is that Frederick Douglass “offered his entire career and all his achievements as living proof that racists were wrong in their belief that one race could be inherently superior to another”. Thus Choice A is correct.
Answer: A
4. Each of the following is mentioned in the passage as an element of Douglass’ ideology EXCEPT
Difficulty Level: 700
Explanation
The passage claims that Douglass “exemplified . . . idealism, . . . liberal humanism”; it implies that Douglass espoused “anti racist egalitarianism” and states that “Douglass was attracted to .. . democratic-capitalist ideals of his time”. This rules out Choices A, B, C, and E and leaves Choice D as correct. Indeed, the mention of “Douglass’ vision of the future as a melting pot in which all racial and ethnic differences would dissolve” shows that Douglass was not a pluralist, i.e. was not someone who aimed at preserving and celebrating ethnic and cultural differences.
Answer: D
Difficulty Level: 700
Explanation
The passage claims that Douglass “exemplified . . . idealism, . . . liberal humanism”; it implies that Douglass espoused “anti racist egalitarianism” and states that “Douglass was attracted to .. . democratic-capitalist ideals of his time”. This rules out Choices A, B, C, and E and leaves Choice D as correct. Indeed, the mention of “Douglass’ vision of the future as a melting pot in which all racial and ethnic differences would dissolve” shows that Douglass was not a pluralist, i.e. was not someone who aimed at preserving and celebrating ethnic and cultural differences.
Answer: D
